


Is It Worth It?

by Galactic_Rover



Series: Permission to Be Happy? [2]
Category: The Good Doctor (TV 2017)
Genre: F/M, Medical, Melendaire, Melendaire Monday, POV Alternating, POV First Person, POV Neil Melendez, The Good Doctor - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-28
Updated: 2020-03-28
Packaged: 2021-03-01 02:08:54
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,861
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23357536
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Galactic_Rover/pseuds/Galactic_Rover
Summary: Lim confronts Neil and Claire about their inappropriate relationship.
Relationships: Claire Browne/Neil Melendez
Series: Permission to Be Happy? [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1723660
Comments: 6
Kudos: 44





	Is It Worth It?

**Neil**

**_A Couple of Months Later_ **

I have finally recuperated from my emergency laparotomy and got the all-clear to return back to work. My recovery was brutal but I’m glad to be back on my feet. I’ve been going stir-crazy been cooped up in my house all this time and I am beyond ready to get back to work, life, and Claire. We haven’t talked much since that day at the hospital. We’ve texted here and there, making vague plans for the future but nothing of consequence. At the present moment, I’m straightening up my house in preparation of Audrey coming over. Apparently there is something urgent she needs to discuss with me and it can't wait until tomorrow.

I hear the familiar roar of her motorcycle as she rides up my circular driveway. “Hey!” I greet her, stepping aside, to let her pass through. Making a beeline for the kitchen, she places her helmet on table. “Hey, how are you feeling?” “Amazing like I’m on cloud nine.” I tease with a grin. “Good. Now I can enjoy smacking you down a few notches.” _Huh?_ “Excuse me?” She turns to face me, with a thunderous expression. “Audrey, what going on?” “I assure you that nothing improper is going on. Isn’t that what you told to me about Claire? That nothing was going on between you two?” _What the hell is going on?_

“Yes, because it’s the truth.” “You mean it _was_ the truth.” “Audrey, what is this about?” “This is about you being a liar and a grimy son of a bitch.” _Why is she talking to me like this?_ “Are you, at any point, going to explain what you're mad about or just continue to yell abuse and accusations at me?” She took a couple of measured steps toward me. Her expression told me that she was ready for a fight and that I might be in immediate danger. “I saw you kiss Claire.” “What?” “The day after your surgery, in your hospital room.” _Dammit_. “Are you going to deny it?” I don’t say anything for a long beat. “No, I’m not.” “I have to know, how long have you two been together?” “We’re not together. What you saw that day at the hospital was the first time, and only time I have ever kissed her.” “So when the favoritism complaint happened-” “Nothing had happened. As I explained to you before, she was having a hard time after her mom died and I was trying to look out for her. We were just friends, hanging out.”

Audrey jerked her head back with a puzzled expression. “You forgot to mention that the two of you were hanging out.” I rub my hand across my forehead, “Look, I assure you that I never touched Claire and I’ve only ever kiss her once.” “Are you planning on getting involved with her?” Crossing her arms over her chest, Audrey stares at me scowling. Exhaling a sharp breath, “Yes.” Letting out a laugh, “She’s a resident Neil! What makes you think getting involved with her is ok? When did you even noticed you had feeling for her?” Rubbing my chin, I contemplate whether I should tell Audrey everything or not. Audrey is both my boss and my ex-girlfriend, and I have no idea how lightly I need to tread. “Some time after Claire and I started to hanging out. If I had to be honest it wasn’t too long after the favoritism complaint happened that I noticed I had serious feelings for her.”

“This is bad Neil. For all of us. Can you imagine the impossible position this tidbit of information puts me in, both professionally and personally? Sitting on the edge of the kitchen table, she shakes her head slowly. “Have you already forgotten how hard it was for us, even while we were still peers? Now imagine how hard it’ll be with you and Claire. Can you truly remain impartial and fair when it comes to her? Don't you think your other residents will suffer from your personal bias. What if you need to reprimand Claire? That won't me easy, trust me. Your personal and professional wires are going to get so crossed you won’t be able to do your job effectively. You should have learned that from our relationship.

Pressing my lips together and considering the answers to the questions she’s asking me, “I don't have the answers on how this is going to work. I haven’t gotten that far.” Audrey suddenly started to chuckle as if she just heard a good joke. “The more I think about it, I’m not at all surprised that you have feelings for Claire.” “And why is that?” “Face it Neil, you’ve always had a soft spot for her. You treat her differently than you do the other residents.” “That is not at all true.” “It is. I've noticed that unspoken thing going on between you two with my own eyes." "When?" I ask her skeptically. "Like the time in the elevator, right after you kicked her off your service. She stepped on the elevator you tensed up. Neither one of you knew what to do with yourselves. Despite the fact that you were furious with her, you still went out of your way to compliment her. I have never seen you respond that way to _anyone_.

“She is something special.” I admit quietly to myself with a smile on my face. Standing back up and grabbing her helmet off the table, Audrey scowls at me once more. “She is special; she's a talented surgeon. Which is just another reason why you should leave her alone. She has a bright future ahead of her and getting involved with you can jeopardize that significantly. So I beg you, cut this off before this blows up in your face. See you tomorrow.” After she closes the front door, I let out a loud sigh as I slowly amble toward the couch. Plopping down, I stare blankly at the ceiling for a long time, searching for answers on what to do next?

\----------------------

**Claire**

“Dr. Melendez is coming back to work tomorrow.” “Yes Shaun, we all heard Dr. Lim’s announcement.” Morgan says to him with a smile as we sit around the conference table conducting research for our respective cases. “I’m glad he’ll be back.” Shaun adds with half-smile as he briefly bounces in his chair like a kid on sugar. _Me too Shaun. I can’t wait to see him! I think excitedly to myself._ “As we all are. Now, like I said, I’ve got an idea for our femur bone graft approach. Let’s go find Dr. Andrews.” Park says as he shuffles to his feet. “What is it?” Shaun asks looking over at him. “I’ll explain on the way, come on.” Shaun pushes out of his chair and quickly catches up with Park who is already out the door.

As soon as we are alone, Morgan drops the pen that she’s been writing with and winces in pain. Slowly alternating between flexing and relaxing her hands, she tries to relieve the stiffness. She’s been having a difficult time regaining the range of motion; they haven't healed quite like she hope. “How the pain?” I ask springing into action. “I’m fine,” she snaps at me as she flinches away. “Clearly you not fine.” “Just let me be ok?” Her eyes plead with me to back off, so I relent and sit back down. “How’s therapy going?” I ask her concerned about her progress. “I'm so tired of people asking me that.” “We’re asking because we care, and we genuinely want to know how you’re doing.” Shaking her head, she picks her phone from the table. “Moving on, did you see Jared’s Instagram post this morning?” “No, is it about Celez?” “Yes. she gave birth last night to twin healthy baby boys.”

Taking her proffered phone, I stare at the picture of Jared bending over his wife, who is holding their newborn sons. Both parents grin proudly from ear to ear. The caption reads, _“Second best day of my life_ _#Blessed_.” “Aww, this is precious.” I say smiling at the screen. “I know. I can hardly believe that Jared is a husband and a father.” Morgan says with chuckle. I’m still shocked that Jared married Celez. I remember the night he meet her. She was a burn victim from that terrible bus crash and Jared hadn't the slightest clue of how to relate to her. But he made up for it in the end and give her an extraordinary gift. _Congratulations, to the both of you! I wish you all the best!_ I sent him the congratulatory text from my phone before smiling to myself. “I’m happy things worked out for Jared. He deserved it. Especially after everything that happened with Coyle.” “Tell me about it. Coyle's a pig. I was _thrilled_ when he finally left St. Bonaventure.”

“Me too, but I hate the idea that he’s out there terrorizing other women.” “He’ll get what’s coming to him in the end.” It occurred to me that I've never asked Morgan about her experience of being Coyle’s resident. “What was it like for you, working with him? How did you deal with that?” Letting out laugh, “Well I would love to say that Coyle didn’t mess with me because I held my own, but that’s not entirely true. Truth is, Coyle left me alone mainly because of Park. Park always had my back when it came to Coyle's unwanted advances. Plus Coyle, the coward, is _deathly_ afraid of Park.” “Ugh! I would love to see Park punch him out.” I say rolling my eyes as I think about the sleaze ball. “I know, it would be epic!” _That would be something._ “Jared mention that you’re the reason he got that interview at Denver Memorial. That was a nice thing to do for him…and very uncharacteristically selfless of you.” We both laugh as she shrugs her shoulders. “Jared was no longer a threat to me. Nor did he deserve to be ostracized for putting Coyle in his place.”

Jared’s plight at St. Bonaventure was unfortunate; but at least everything worked out for him in the end. I smile as I remember Jared’s words to me before leaving the hospital. _“I think we're both going to be very happy someday_.” I didn't want him to go. But everything happens for a reason. I still have a long way to go until my happily ever after, but I hope that I am finally on the right track. “Alright enough talking. Get back to work.” Morgan barks at me, snapping me out of my walk down memory lane.

\----------------------

It’s the end of my shift and I’ve received word that Lim wants to talk to me. Seeing that Melendez has been cleared for duty and is expected to return to work, I assume it connected to that. I practically skip to her office, thrilled to see Neil again; It's been weeks since I've seen him. “Good evening Andrea.” I say greeting Dr. Lim’s executive assistant as she looks up at me. “Good evening Dr. Browne.” “Dr. Lim asks to see me. Is she in?” “She is just finishing up a conference call. It’ll be a couple more minutes.” “Ok, thanks.” I steer myself toward the chairs on the opposite wall and I take a long-contented sigh as I sit down.

A few minutes later I walked into a Lim’s office and take a seat at her request. “You seem awfully chipper for someone who just worked a double shift.” “It was a good day. What can I say?” I quip light-heartedly. Coming from around her desk, she grabs the chair next to me and angles it in my direction. “I’ll get right to it. We have a problem Claire.” “What is it?” “The day after Neil’s surgery, I saw the two of you kissing in his hospital room.” _What?_ I quickly fished through my memory, retracing the events of the day, and try to figure out how in the world did she see us? When I went up to see Neil, Lim was about to go into surgery. The floor that Melendez was on was virtually empty; there were barely any nurses around. After I walked into is room, I closed the door behind me…but the blinds were still open. _Still she was in surgery so what happened?_ I don’t know what to say. “Um, wow. I'm surprised. I-I thought you were in surgery at that time.” "I was but plans changed. Look, this is going to be awkward to say the least. Not only as your boss but as Neil’s ex-girlfriend.”

_Kill me now._ There are a plethora of questions running through my mind right now, but I judiciously refrain from asking any of them. “Based on the look on you face, I bet you’re wondering why I waited so long to say something? Why now?” That’s exactly what I’m wondering. I’ve been on Lim’s service for weeks now and she hasn’t said a thing nor treated me any differently than before. “And to be honest, I really was at a loss for words.” Looking incredulously, she squints her eyes at me as if I am a riddle, she simple cannot solve. Clapping her hands together, “So this is what's going to happen.” She says with a grim expression.

“I want you to know that I’ve thought about this long and hard. I have weighed the options and have contemplated the best course of action.” A feeling of dread washes over me as I think of the worse possible scenario. _Neil returns to work tomorrow. I must be getting fired, tonight._ She regards me silently for moment. I stare back at her anxiously waiting for her to rip the band aid off. “So you’re firing me?” I say preemptively, beating her to the punch.” Shooting me a pointed glare. “No, I’m not firing you.” _She’s not?_ “Legally, dating your boss isn't grounds to fire someone. It’s frown upon, but not illegal. Even it if was something you could get fired for, you have boundless potential Dr. Browne and letting you go would be a grave loss to this hospital.”

_Thank goodness._ I breath a short sigh of relief as I wait for the inevitable _‘but,’_ that is to come. “So what are you going to do to me?” I asked confused. “I am simply going to make an appeal to reason. Ultimately, the choice is up to you, I can't make it for you. The main thing you should consider is the different stages you and Dr. Melendez are on, in your careers. He is a nationally renowned, cardiothoracic surgeon. He’s made a name for himself and carries a _massive_ amount of clout in the surgical world. People all over the country come here just to have him perform their surgeries. You on the other hand, are a third-year resident. You’re still riding with training wheels. Your career is _just_ taking off, and you haven’t even made so much as a ripple in this world yet.”

“Is your strategy to make me feel small and inferior?” I asked affronted. “No, I trying to administer a healthy dose of reality. You need to see the situation that you’re putting yourself in for what it is, a huge mistake. If you and Melendez continue to see each other, that secret _will_ eventually get out. When it does, rest assured that you will take most of the flak. People will denigrate you, your accomplishments, and will assume that you got nothing on your own merit. You’ve already been working with two strikes against you since you decided to become a surgeon; one as a woman and one as a person of color. Don’t make your journey harder than it’s already guaranteed to be.”

Getting up from her chair, “Ask yourself this, is getting involved with Dr. Melendez _right now_ , worth it? Think about it and figure out your priorities. You don't want to make any rash decisions that you might later on regret. You’re dismissed.” I walk out of her office, shell-shocked and dizzy. There are a million things running through my mind and I hadn’t had a clue of where to start dissecting. What does this mean for me? Is she going to take me off of Melendez's service for good? Or at least until I learn my lesson? Should I go back and ask her to clarify that for me? Obviously I'm not going to do that. I'm sure on some level Dr. Lim doesn't even know what she wants to do with me yet. Given all the ways Dr. Lim could have made my life miserable these past few weeks, I count myself lucky that she went easy on me. I wonder if she's already spoken to Melendez? I'm pretty sure she's has. I contemplate texting him but decide against it. If Dr. Lim has already confronted him about this matter then he has just as much on his mind as I do and we could both use the space to think. ...Until tomorrow.


End file.
